Reconsidering the Use of L1 in the Algerian EFL Classroom

Abstract

There has been a considerable shift in opinion in recent years concerning the use of language learners’ first language (L1) in the teaching and learning of the second language (L2). Recent research has revealed that L1 use is less problematic than once believed. That research, however, has yet to consider the multiple contextual factors affecting L1 use, notably in the Algerian context. The current study explored beliefs held by Algerian teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) concerning the use of learners’ L1 with the aim of comparing these beliefs with expected language teaching practices established by the country’s teaching policy. A questionnaire was distributed to 219 EFL teachers across three academic levels and six categories of teaching experience. The results revealed that teachers often felt neutral toward the use of L1 or considered L1 as a vital element in certain L2 teaching/ learning practices. Additionally, these results remained consistent when analyzed by teachers’ academic level, gender, and years of teaching experience, indicating that learning circumstances hold little to no importance in determining the role of L1 in the Algerian L2 classroom. These findings stand in stark contrast to the “strictly-no-L1” policy set by the country’s education system. Based on these findings, it is recommended that perhaps the country’s educational framework should be reconsidered to meet teachers’ and learners’ needs.